Any fair assessment of the news reports today would demonstrate we are globally in a mess. It seems we are being threatened on every side of life – with voices all around saying: “ We are leading to an economic meltdown either through inflation or deflation!” “Our businesses are threatened with an increase in cyber attacks for which there is no shield”; “Our personal information has been stolen”; “Our cities are unsafe from the influx of drugs and human traffic”; “Now, threats of rampant disease”; “Earthquakes are happening in unexpected places with unusual frequency!”; “Natural disasters are overtaxing our resources”; “Another credible global terrorist threat?” Where is the safety in the midst of this turbulence?

As human beings—every single one of us—are wired for worship. We can’t help it. But we are the ones who decide what or Who our worship will be directed towards. And since worship is an integral aspect of our nature, it’s important to stop and think about what constitutes true worship.

I know it’s so easy to just think of praise as the fast or loud songs in church, while worship is the slow ballads. But there’s a real defining difference: “praise” is a reaction to what God has done, whereas “worship” is a reaction to a REVELATION of who He is.

Today news headlines are all about the situation in the Ukraine with Russian troops invading the sovereign nation, which includes the Crimean Peninsula. This region of the globe has been no stranger to chaos historically. And, then there is Syria, as well as the violence at the borders between Palestine and Israel. The situations are endless. Some people are glued to the TV for the news of such events, while others are yawning saying what else is new? Whether your view is brutal reality or comfortable denial, the situation is the same – our world is in chaos. So what does Christ say about this?

According to an articleby Fox News, the number of Christians killed for their faith in 2013 numbered 2,123, which increased from 1,201 in 2012. The article states: “More than half of those reported killings (1,213) occurred in Syria, followed by Nigeria (612) and Pakistan (88).”